Who was the pilot who spotted secret Bush flight?

One of the most suspenseful moments during President George W. Bush's secret flight to Baghdad, according to the White House, came when a British Airways pilot spotted Air Force One soaring over the Atlantic.
( as reported by Reuters), from CNN.COM

read the whole Story. www.cnn.com...

Do you think the CIA or Secret Service took this guy out ?

I don't know who took him out, if he even was. What I do know though, is that he was a certified bush pilot...



Serious now, this isn't a laughing matter, more crimes are being commited and nothing is being done. Who is going to come up missing next or be found dead?

When is enough , enough?!

Pretty strange, But BA airline pilots are very very professional guys, i dont think there was a need to take him out, after all most of them wont even come out about all the UFO's they have seen even when they are retired. They just mention they saw strange craft. The pilot in question was probably debriefed on landing by american secret service guys, mabye british ones too.

Originally posted by Kalistenics
Pretty strange, But BA airline pilots are very very professional guys, i dont think there was a need to take him out, after all most of them wont even come out about all the UFO's they have seen even when they are retired. They just mention they saw strange craft. The pilot in question was probably debriefed on landing by american secret service guys, mabye british ones too.

Isnt saying that you saw a "strange craft" the same as saying you saw a UFO. Unidentified Flying Objects to a pilot would have to be unusual I would say. Considering they look at aircraft all day long. Strange would mean something they couldnt Identify.

Second point on that. Just because a pilot says they have never seen a UFO, doesnt mean he is covering up the fact that he did. Maybe, just maybe, he didnt......

As far as the pilot, there is no reason that he would have been taken out. He saw the aircraft. Was probably told immediatley not to say anything. By the time you found out about him seeing it, Bush was already back home. It was a secret flight, lots of pilots in both countries are from the Air Force. Maybe they respected the fact they were asked to keep it secret. Maybe the pilot doesnt want 8 million reporters at his house over something that is completely meaningless.

[Edited on 12/2/2003 by Seapeople]

[Edited on 12/2/2003 by Seapeople]

yeah, now that I think about it, I agree with Seapeople.
By the time he could have told anyone, Bush was already back home and the pilot was already being told to " be quiet"...

Ummm, kind of paranoid of many "to assume" that the pilot was "taken out" wouldn't you think?

According to the CNN article, there is no indication that such an act took place....no crime, no death, no CIA, no British intel....nada.....

The article says:
"But days after the sighting, the identity of the pilot remains a mystery, even to British Airways."

Sounds like to me, that the pilot and obvious co-pilot and navigator, are staying quiet on this one, especially in light of this comment and observation:

"Bush aides recounted with excitement the moment during the flight to Baghdad when the BA pilot (Note: the article fails to address the obvious: there is a copilot and navigator also) thought he spotted the president's blue and white Boeing 747 from his cockpit.

"Did I just see Air Force One?" the pilot radioed.

There was a pause. Then came the response from Air Force One: "Gulfstream 5" -- a much smaller aircraft.

As one of Bush's aides recounted, the BA pilot seemed to sense that he was in on a secret, and replied: "Oh."

My theory is that the pilot, co-pilot, and navigator are alive and well, but are assuredly not saying a dern word....whether by fear or such, but 'mums' the word. I back it by this comment in the article:
"In response to press inquiries, British Airways checked with its crews. But so far, no one has come forward."


Now if these guys were "taken out"....don't you think that the reports would read as such, including this article? Assumtions are deadly.....and no I do not think the CIA or British intel "took these guys out."


regards
seekerof

Here's another point........
IF the pilot, co-pilot, and navigator of that BA flight have not come forth, then how is the CNN getting "exact" quotes on what tranpired during the flight?


regards
seekerof

ahhhh... exactly Seekerof, good question !

Also, a thought that enters my mind, is that, who would really know if the pilot was taken out ? It certainly wouldn't be reported on CNN, no way the secret service would let that info out.

Again, I have changed my mind though, I was too quick to post, that I thought he was "taken out", I think he was told to keep quiet, that's all.

Originally posted by Seekerof
Here's another point........
IF the pilot, co-pilot, and navigator of that BA flight have not come forth, then how is the CNN getting "exact" quotes on what tranpired during the flight?

regards
seekerof

They are getting exact quotes because its not a secret. Once They landed in Iraq there was no more secret. So anyone on that plane could say whatever they wanted to. You have to understand that there is NOTHING TO COVER UP. The only thing they didnt want to happen is people in Iraq finding out they were coming. Once they got there. The people in Iraq as well as the United states already knew. No more secret to keep. No reason for any type of coverup at all. What would the pilots say....I saw Air Force one going to Iraq....but everyone already knows that.

Seapeople...

I RESPECT YOUR AUTHORITAAAAAAAAAA

Originally posted by elevatedone
Seapeople...

I RESPECT YOUR AUTHORITAAAAAAAAAA

Oh my! ::shakes head and walks out of thread::

Originally posted by elevatedone
Seapeople...

I RESPECT YOUR AUTHORITAAAAAAAAAA

Well, thats one person! Now all I need is about 6 billion more and I will rule the world. Man.....I cant even count that high....*mumbles*

OK im going to get slated for this -

anyone actually have a timetable from GWBs departure from the UK to the time he was in Iraq ?

as to a BA pilot making a positive ID of the plane mid flight i find that incredulous. Still ill check my sources - who are pretty senior in the airline.

What amazes me is the professional way CNN make a new item out of practically nothing of importance....

Originally posted by Silk
OK im going to get slated for this -

anyone actually have a timetable from GWBs departure from the UK to the time he was in Iraq ?

as to a BA pilot making a positive ID of the plane mid flight i find that incredulous. Still ill check my sources - who are pretty senior in the airline.

What would you need that information for?

identifing a plane in midflight...

dont' pilots do this everyday... fighter pilots ?

besides, I'm pretty sure that if President Bush flew to Iraq on Air Force One, you can bet that it had a fighter escort... and would be easily recongnizable.

The BA pilot story was given to lend credibility to the fact that GW actually went to Iraq.

Handpicked press guys, no cameras, secret flight, no outside shots, soldiers predominately secret service (guys with their backs to the prez in the pics, look for the ear pieces) soldiers with new uniforms and NO tans (its a desert ya know).

Maybe GW didn't even go?

Seapeople - simple really

I suspect that given GWB was in Europe before he went to Iraq - I wonder if he went back across the atlantic before going there. Given the flight times I would think it easier to just fly to Iraq after Europe than go to the US and fly all the way to Iraq.

And if he didnt cross the atlantic twice then this sighting is pure fiction.

Its called checking the facts - or "denying ignorance"

Unlike the US, there aren't multiple agencies keeping tabs on our visitors....just the MOD... The MOD has been doing a decidedly better job at it than we have...

Gazrok ????

The MOD has little or no control regarding our visitors - thats the job of the CAA - formerly based at Hendon. As for military involvement C&C is organised from Stike Command in High Wycombe with secondary command gifted to Northolt. Third tier is coordinated form RAF Brampton in Cambridgeshire.

That being said - not sure what your post meant